AUSTIN, Texas — With a national championship, a litany of school records and one spectacular Rose Bowl performance, Vince Young figures he's done all he can at the college level.

So, the Texas quarterback is going to the NFL.

Young announced Sunday he'll skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft, taking the leap many expected after leading the Longhorns to a 41-38 victory over Southern California for Texas' first national title in 36 years.

"It's been a really fun ride. It's been really beautiful, and I'll cherish my memories for the rest of my life," Young said at a campus news conference to announce his decision.

"I feel like I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in college," Young said.

And he immediately set the bar for his pro career pretty high.

"I will not let you down. I will be a hard worker and do what it takes to not only be a role model, but make it to the Hall of Fame, and that's the biggest it can be," Young said.

His Rose Bowl performance — 467 total yards with three rushing touchdowns — increased speculation he would leave school early and started a debate about whether he would be the No. 1 pick in April's draft.

Young's hometown Houston Texans have the first pick. He said he'd like to play in Houston, but realizes he could wind up somewhere else.

Texans spokesman Tony Wyllie released a statement that complimented Young as a player, but said the team is still evaluating draft picks and trying to hire a head coach.

Another possibility is Tennessee, which has the third pick. Young counts Titans quarterback Steve McNair among his close friends. He said McNair told him "go with your heart" in making his decision.

Young maintained during the season that he would to return for his senior year, but said his Rose Bowl performance put him "over the top."

With a career 30-2 record as a starter, Young is Texas' career leader in total offense (9,167 yards), touchdowns (81) and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (37).

This season, he became the only player in NCAA history to pass for 3,000 yards (3,036) and rush for 1,000 (1,050) in one season. His 4,086 total yards set a school single-season record.

Young won the Davey O'Brien Award for the nation's best quarterback and the Maxwell Award for the top college football player, but came in second behind USC running back Reggie Bush in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Gil Brandt, longtime Dallas Cowboys personnel director and current NFL.com draft analyst, called Young a likely top five pick but said he thought Young should have stayed at Texas another year.

"He is very, very similar to Randall Cunningham," Brandt said. "Had he waited, he probably would've been a better player. All quarterbacks get better with the more experience they get. Going from college football to the NFL is about like going from eighth grade to being a graduate student at MIT."

Although Young has been criticized by analysts for his sidearm throwing motion, Brandt said the most important factor is Young's winning record. Young was the highest rated passer in college last season.

"He has a bottom-line of 30-2. Bobby Layne and Sonny Jurgenson didn't have perfect deliveries either, but they're in the Hall of Fame," Brandt said.

Young is the first Texas player to leave early for the NFL in coach Mack Brown's eight seasons.

Brown, who was at the American Football Coaches Association annual convention and didn't attend the news conference, said he met with Young on Sunday morning and supports the decision.

"We'll miss him, but want him to do as well in the NFL as he did in college. I expect all of the Texas fans to be happy and supportive of Vince," Brown said. "He has done great things for our program."

Young said he talked over his decision with his family and that some of his advisers told him to stay at Texas to finish his degree. Considering the deadline for declaring for the draft is Jan. 15, it was clear his mind was already made up. The ultimate decision was his, Young said.

"It took a lot of praying, listening, understanding and knowing that the day was going to come," said Felicia Young, who attended her son's news conference. "Everything is all right. This is great."

Asked how he might spend some of the millions of dollars he'll earn as an NFL player, Young said, "It all depends on mama."

Young's departure leaves a gaping hole in the offense to fill if Texas is to defend its title.

The only other scholarship quarterback on the roster, freshman Colt McCoy, redshirted last season and didn't take a snap. Texas expects to sign another prep standout, Jevan Snead, who plans to enroll in school this month and participate in spring drills in February.

"We have 15 starters back next year and our expectations today remain the same as before Vince's decision," Brown said. "We are defending champions and will move forward."